Podcasts about Samnites

We tend to think of Rome's rise to power in Italy as inevitable, but it was far from guaranteed. Their most fearsome enemies within the Italian peninsula were the Samnites, hill-people from the mountainous central regions. But what made the Samnites so formidable, and how were they able to hold out for so long? The answer lies in the fact that they offered a genuine alternative to the Roman way of doing things.Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge. And check out Patrick's new podcast The Pursuit of Dadliness! It's all about “Dad Culture,” and Patrick will interview some fascinating guests about everything from tall wooden ships to smoked meats to comfortable sneakers to history, sports, culture, and politics. https://bit.ly/PWtPoDListen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistorySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

https://www.patreon.com/GnosticInformant Thank you existing Patrons. The Etruscans, who lived primarily in the region now known as Tuscany, emerged around the 8th century BCE. They had a significant impact on the early Roman civilization and were eventually absorbed by the Romans. There were also various Italic tribes, including the Latins, Sabines, and Samnites, who lived in the Italian peninsula from around the 2nd millennium BCE. The Latins were the tribe from which the Romans emerged. Starting from the 8th century BCE, the Greeks established colonies in southern Italy and Sicily, an area that was often referred to as Magna Graecia. Aeneas, a legendary figure of both Trojan and Roman mythology, is renowned as the son of the divine Aphrodite and mortal Anchises. A part of Troy's royal lineage and a kin of Hector, Aeneas was a distinguished defender of his city during the Trojan War, demonstrating martial prowess second only to Hector himself. Homer's work subtly hints at Aeneas' discontent with his secondary role, thereby giving rise to a later narrative that posits Aeneas as a conspirator in Troy's betrayal to the Greeks. However, a more prevalent version of his story portrays Aeneas as the helm of the Trojan survivors following the Greek conquest of Troy. Regardless of these divergent accounts, the common thread in all the narratives is the survival of Aeneas, enabling him to be woven into the fabric of Roman mythology. The connection of Homeric heroes to Italy and Sicily can be traced back to the 8th century BCE, coinciding with the era when Homer's epics are believed to have transitioned into written form. Greek colonies, established in Italy and Sicily during this period and the ensuing century, often claimed lineage from figures central to the Trojan War. Aeneas, in particular, was associated with various locales and dynasties, notably within the region of Latium. As the Roman Empire expanded throughout Italy and across the Mediterranean, Roman authors imbued with a sense of patriotism sought to craft a mythological tradition that would simultaneously infuse their land with historical grandeur and subdue an underlying resentment towards Greek cultural hegemony. Aeneas, in his role as a Trojan adversary of the Greeks, and with a post-war narrative open to interpretation, was uniquely suited to embody the mythical precursor to the inception of Roman supremacy. Composed circa 29-19 BCE, Virgil's Aeneid narrates across 12 books the mythic establishment of Lavinium, the precursor to Alba Longa and Rome, by the Trojan hero Aeneas. As Virgil recounts, when the Greeks seized Troy, a resilient Aeneas was instructed by the apparition of Hector to escape and initiate a significant city abroad. Mustering his family and followers, Aeneas secured the penates— household deities—of Troy. However, amidst the chaos of evacuation from the burning city, his wife vanished. Her spirit later appeared to him, revealing his destiny to venture to a land in the west where the Tiber River coursed. Thus began Aeneas's epic journey, with stops in Thrace, Crete, and Sicily, and fraught with a plethora of trials culminating in a shipwreck near Carthage on the African coast. Here, he was hospitably received by Dido, the bereaved queen. As he narrated his tale, they fell in love and he delayed his journey until a stern reminder from the god Mercury refocused him on his ultimate objective: Rome. Wracked with guilt, he immediately deserted Dido, who subsequently ended her own life. Resuming his voyage, Aeneas eventually reached the mouth of the Tiber. #gnosticinformant #ancientrome #documentary #4k #rome #religion --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gnosticinformant/message

Riveting and informative interview with author NICOLA MASTRONARDI about the Samnites who occupied central Italy for many centuries before Christ and fought several wars with Rome.Nicola Graduated with Political Science degree from “Cesare Alfieri” of Florence. A member of the Georgofili Academy, he is a scholar of the semi-nomadic civilizations of the Italian Apennines and the Mediterranean. For twenty years he has alternated freelance in the field of excursion tourism with interests in ancient (Samnite) and contemporary history.Press officer of Italian institutions and political circles, he has collaborated, among others, with newspapers such as La Repubblica, Il Sabato, Il Tempo, magazines of the QN-Quotidiani Nazionali group and television broadcasts of Rai Radiotelevisione Italiana. From 2003 to 2010 he was a consultant for Linea Verde Horizons, Rai Uno. Expert in History of Journalism and Contemporary History at the Degree Course in Political Science of the University of Molise, in 2011 he published "Gaddafi, the betrayed revolution" (Mimesis Edizioni, Mi). Note his essays on the sheep track system of the Italian Apennines and the volume "The Green Giants - Images and suggestions on the Molise sheep tracks"ViteluiTranslation by Letizia Sinisi from Italy Rooting.The Greg Krino ShowVeteran, pilot, and attorney - Greg Krino - takes you on a deep-dive with experts to...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Soraya -Be Convinced! Sharing Lifechanging Stories of HopeHost Soraya Coffelt shares lifechanging stories of hope to encourage and motivate you.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifyToro Buy Nicola's BooksSupport the show

In the final part of our Samnite Wars episodes, Tristan is once again joined by Dr Kathryn Lomas from Durham University to find out more about these conflicts and the effect they had on the rise of Rome as an ancient superpower. With three wars between the Roman Republic and the Samnite armies, beginning in 343 BC and ending with a Roman victory in 290 BC - what happened in those 53 years?In this episode, Tristan and Kathryn cover the second and third wars, and look at the impact these fabled events had on the socio-political make up of the Italian peninsula. With Rome successfully taking control of large swathes of central and southern Italy, and the arrival of Pyrrhus, one of history's most infamous men - is this the beginning of Roman domination across the Mediterranean?For more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this first episode of a two-parter on the Samnite Wars, we focus in on one of Rome's greatest rivals in early Italy. Based in modern day Campania, who were the Samnites?With three wars between the Roman Republic and the Samnite armies, beginning in 343 BC and the ending with a Roman victory in 290 BC, what happened in those explosive 53 years?In part one, Tristan is joined by Dr Kathryn Lomas from Durham University to find out more about these conflicts and the effect they had on the rise of Rome as an ancient superpower. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the battle against the Samnites in 296 BCE, general Appius Claudius uttered a prayer, “Bellona, if you grant us victory today, I promise to build you a temple.” his prayer was proven to be effective as the Romans proceeded to capture and plundered the Samnite camp, giving a massive amount of booty to their own sodiers. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://martinifisher.com/2021/10/21/bellona/

The Samnites were a group of communities from the central Apennine Mountains who shared certain traits and that predominantly appear in the historical sources in the second half of the first millennium BCE. Historian, Dr Rafael Scopacasa, returns to the show to discuss what scholars know about the Samnites in fifth century BCE.

To understand the Italian community, Samnium, in the Iron Age (9th to 6th centuries), scholars predominantly rely on funerary evidence. Dr. Rafael Scopacasa returns to the show to share what's known about Samnites in this period of time.

The Samnites were an ancient group of people that lived amongst the Apennine Mountains in the Italian Peninsula. Dr Rafael Scopacasa joins the show to discuss what's known about who they were and how they lived.

From the banks of the river Tevere to the shores of Puglia, in 500 years Rome defeats its adversaries one by one, Etruscans, Gauls, Samnites, Greeks, and conquers Italy.More about VITOR at www.vitoritalytours.com

How did a small village on the banks of a small river, in a small country which always was on the outskirts of the most advanced civilizations of the West, come to dominate the western world?Rome is more than its conquests. Rome is its legions but also its complex civilization, its ability to incorporate the other, making it feel like a part of the whole.More about VITOR at www.vitoritalytours.com

Ben tells the story of Pompeii, from its Etruscan origins through its Samnite and Roman phases and its destruction and eventual rediscovery. He begins by exploring the sources of heat that drive plate tectonics and volcanism, then describes the Scramble for the Bay of Naples, the Greek influence on the structures of the Etruscan Altstadt, and how the Etruscans left their mark on the place names of the region. He describes the Temple to Jupiter, the Basilica, and the House of Sallust, each erected in Pompeii by the Oscan-speaking Samnites following their conquest of the region around 500 AD. He describes the changes brought by the Romans following the conquest of the city by Lucius Cornelius Sulla. He describes the House of the Faun, a riot in the amphitheater, and the earthquake and volcanic eruption that silenced the city for more than a millennium and a half. He also describes the rediscovery of Pompeii and the role of nineteenth-century Italian nationalist and archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli in both associating the city with Italian national identity and establishing it as an iconic and haunting symbol of sudden destruction recognized around the world.

For most of human history, depending on the culture of the victors, enemy combatants on the losing side in a battle who had surrendered and been taken as prisoners of war could expect to be either slaughtered or enslaved. Early Roman gladiators could be prisoners of war, categorised according to their ethnic roots as Samnites, Thracians, and Gauls (Galli). Homer's Iliad describes Greek and Trojan soldiers offering rewards of wealth to opposing forces who have defeated them on the battlefield in exchange for mercy, but their offers are not always accepted; see Lycaon for example.

This week, on a special sponsored episode, Anna and Amber explore some of the lesser-known Italic cultural groups that were peripheral to Ancient Rome. We seek out Samnites and uncover Umbrians. We also take a brief tour of Etruscan wine country. Contact Email the Dirt Podcast Affiliates Wildnote TeePublic Timeular Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!

This week, on a special sponsored episode, Anna and Amber explore some of the lesser-known Italic cultural groups that were peripheral to Ancient Rome. We seek out Samnites and uncover Umbrians. We also take a brief tour of Etruscan wine country. Contact Email the Dirt Podcast Affiliates Wildnote TeePublic Timeular Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!

Qu’ont goûté les habitants de Pompéi avant l’éruption du Vésuve ? La figue, l’olive, le miel, le vin, l’orge faisaient-ils le quotidien des Romains ? Le goût et le patrimoine culinaire de la Méditerranée se sont forgés dans l’Antiquité, et enrichis au fil de l’extension de l’Empire romain, comme les techniques de conservation et de transformation. Voyage dans le temps pour un dîner à Pompéi, aux saveurs romaines de l’Antiquité. Avec- Véronique Zech, archéobotaniste au Musée national d’Histoire naturelle, à l’occasion de l’exposition : Dernier repas à Pompéi au Musée de l’homme à Paris. Exposition organisée avec et grâce au prêt du musée de Naples- Anne Nercessian, docteure en archéologie, auteure avec Nicole Blanc, l’auteure de : La cuisine romaine antique réédité chez Glénat. Pour retrouver et savourer davantage vos moments préférés de l’émission : Où il est question de la cuisine pour regarder l’histoire (1’10) de l’archéobotanique pour lire et comprendre le passé et la construction du patrimoine culinaire méditerranéen. Faire ressurgir le quotidien et l'intime de la vie à l’époque antique, pour donner une voix à ceux que l’on entendait peu : les paysans et les plus modestes. De la complexité (6’36) de réaliser des recettes, y compris écrites comme celles d’Apicius, avec des ingrédients de l’Antiquité, oubliés au fil des siècles et toute la difficulté de retrouver les plantes. Des repas ponctués de fruits exotiques (8’50), les Romains étaient des conquérants gourmands ! De la découverte des Samnites 10’23 à Pompéi au 2ème avant J.-C., et des premiers cédrats et sésame dans les cuisines. De quoi égayer les bouillies frugales (11’39) qui faisaient le quotidien des Romains avant qu’ils ne cèdent aux sirènes du luxe et des banquets. De l’importance de diversifier ses produits et d’implanter chez soi le bon découvert ailleurs. (13’28) des plantes domestiquées à l’Antiquité, de pommes, de poires, de prunes, de raisins, de cerises et de pêches – venue de Chine –  16’24 de « patina de poire » ou clafoutis de poire à la romaine avec un peu de garum (jus de poissons fermentés) dedans pour l’impression salée. Exhausteur de goût ! (17’51) où il est question de vigne de vin et d’olives, dont les résidus de pressage des olives ont été retrouvés dans les fours des boulangeries de Pompéi. (19’34) où Pline raconte la difficulté de la récolte des grappes de raisins, et des jarres de vins miellés. Du rêve fou du jardinier romain pour avoir du raisin toute l’année. 22’04 Où il est question de conservation des aliments, de produits dérivés, des sirops, de pâtes, et de fermentation. De la douceur du miel (25’47) et des saveurs de la cuisine romaine antique : quel goût ? (26’00) des épices des aromates, des associations contrastées de saveurs, 28’00 où nos deux invitées sont en léger désaccord de goûts, des recettes emblématiques et du goût de la romantique : 29’40 de la surprise de la réponse : des poireaux aux choux !  (30’40) des plans et des boutiques de Pompéi avant l’éruption du Vésuve, du four fossilisé et de la fournée de pain figée pour l’éternité. Des saucisses vendues et de cuisine de rue (33’20), de l’organisation des repas (35’) et des cena, des banquets de milieu d’après-midi, du goût pour le tiède (pour manger avec les mains), des farcis et du spectacle (37’44). Des rites et de nourritures, de sacrifices et des offrandes pour accompagner les défunts, et au quotidien (40’27) des sacrifices pour s’octroyer la clémence des Dieux, y compris fleuris. De l’importance d’avoir tous les sens en éveil (42’13) pour une meilleure fête. D’ingrédients et d’ustensiles (43’)- Véronique Zech : moulin rotatif et meules, et des céréales- Anne Nercessian : un mortier pour les sauces – en suivant les recettes d’Apicius – et du myrte, graine aromatique. Pour aller plus loinL’exposition POMPEI, au Grand Palais à Paris jusqu’au 27 septembre 2020 Apicius : l’art culinaire. Éditions Les Belles Lettres  « Vin merveilleux aux épices, mijoté de lentilles aux chataignes ou quenelle de lièvre aux pignons macérés : un livre de recettes étonnantes signées du plus célèbre des gastronomes latins, réputé pour ses talents culinaires, sa gloutonnerie et les dépenses somptueuses de sa table. » → Garum et fermentation sur RFI Programmation musicale :ARIA di ROMA : Bande originale de « ROMA » de Federico FelliniHymne delphique à Apollon.

Join Greg Jenner in Ancient Rome to meet the Gladiators. Discover the pros and cons of life as a Gladiator, how the rebellion of Spartacus led to improved conditions in Gladiator schools and learn your Samnites from your Retiarius. We will even tell you what the snack of choice was inside the arena! Presented by Greg Jenner Produced by Abi Paterson Script by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch and Emma Nagouse Historical consultant: Professor Michael Scott A Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4

Episode 48 – 300k— “Do you declare, from your heart, to possess a wife?”A census and a wedding. Rome passes 300 thousand inhabitants, and the Samnites are beaten at Aquilonia.Parcial TranscriptHello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast.The Tale of Rome, Episode 48 — 300k.When Lucius Eugenius, Spurius Attius, and young Tatius got a glimpse of the hills surrounding Rome, their spirits went up.All three made the walk home, all the way from the north — and all three were now war veterans.For a Roman — and ordinary Roman — that's no small feat!And so, once they were down with all the military formalities and once they showed up on their home street,, their women, their children, their slaves, they all walked out to welcome them home!The DOMUS — house — Lucius Eugenius managed to build with their work, spanned two homes next to each other, a corral for raw materials, and a workshop, right across the street.Plus, a small garden behind the second house.This was a piece of real estate that Lucius managed to buy right after the Big War, from an impoverished Patrician.And of course, we are not counting that around 50 slaves were now working at the workshop, and a dozen or so were busy tending to the needs of the ever growing family.Life wasn't that bad, after all!And after they all settled back in, and once Lucius sat in his favorite reclining chair — Laurentia, his wife, reminded him in a casual tone:— “In five days we have to walk to the Field of Mars, husband. Town criers have been announcing the event, for days, now…”Lucius sighed.Another census.Everyone hated a census.The tables of the censors, they so-called Tabulae Censoriae in Latin, were piling up in forums already, to be taken to the field, the day of the census. From Equestrians and Senators, down to the last and lowest Roman, if you were in one of those five social levels, designed by long-gone King Tullius Servius, you had to go.Plebe or Patrician, everyone had to be there.— “We'll take Julia this time,” old Lucius said. “And Spurius, too.”— “What about his fiancee?” asked Laurentia.Lucius paused for a second. Good question. Then he replied.— “No. We haven't finished all the arrangements, yet. All this fighting. Let her go with the Furnii. The censors will be liking that — looks more respectful.”In his mind, Lucius cursed the constant wars Rome had, but he knew he couldn't do a thing about them.Besides, WARS were making him rich.Quite rich indeed.And this richness allowed for Spurius to soon-to-be-wedding a girl of the Furnii, a respectable — even though Plebeian— family.The Furnii were also one of the oldest families, according to the annals of ancient Rome.And according to Dionysius of Halicarnassus, a man named Gaius Furnius — that's F — U — R — N — I — U — S — came to be a tribune of the plebes, back in the year 445 BC, and that was something Lucius Eugenius respected a lot.And so — in a few week's time, Spurius Attius, the young veteran of the Battle of Sentinum, would take a daughter of the Furnii as his wife.Not bad for the family!All right, my dear listeners.As you can see, today we have two topics.A wedding and a census.And that means, that after our Latin Word of this episode, we'll see how Romans went about having a census, and then — how they organized a wedding in those not-so-high circles of society.The society of ancient Rome.Now, please be aware that both — weddings and censuses — have had their fair share of evolution in the one thousand years of Roman history, which means that I tried my best — to keep these two events, match the times we are living in, right now.Which is the beginning of the third century BC.Oh, and after that, we have the next battle against the Samnites, the battle of Aquilonia, and here goes a little spoiler in the story that follows.Let me explain.Right after the battle of Aquilonia, a plague will break out in Rome — one of the larger ones — and we'll be talking about how a new deity named Aesculapius — adopted from its Greek counterpart named Asclepius, became a world-wide symbol, today — recognized by a serpent bent over a fountain or wrapped around a staff, as if spilling its venom — to be used as an antidote — as a cure.This serpent can be seen almost all over the world, in pharmacies, hospitals, medical centers, Centers for Disease Control, and even as part of the logo of the WHO — World Health Organization.The other spoiler is that we'll soon have the result of our upcoming census, and hey — we'll know just how many people lived in Rome. Those numbers used to be published on plates all over Rome, especially in the Roman Forum.[…]

Episode 48 – 300k — “Do you declare, from your heart, to possess a wife?” A census and a wedding. Rome passes 300 thousand inhabitants, and the Samnites are beaten at Aquilonia. Parcial Transcript Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. The Tale of Rome, Episode 48 — 300k. When Lucius Eugenius, Spurius Attius, and young Tatius got a glimpse of the hills surrounding Rome, their spirits went up. All three made the walk home, all the way from the north — and all three were now war veterans. For a Roman — and ordinary Roman — that’s no small feat! And so, once they were down with all the military formalities and once they showed up on their home street,, their women, their children, their slaves, they all walked out to welcome them home! The DOMUS — house — Lucius Eugenius managed to build with their work, spanned two homes next to each other, a corral for raw materials, and a workshop, right across the street. Plus, a small garden behind the...

Episode 47 – The Battle of Sentinum— And Decius Mus didn't do that, either.The biggest battle of Italy, numerically speaking. The most important one, strategically speaking. We are at the gates of a new era for Rome.Parcial TranscriptHello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast.The Tale of Rome, Episode 47 — The Battle of Sentinum.A long, long, long, time has passed.When I last published our episode 46, I never thought that because of unforeseen circumstances, I would find myself away from this podcast, for so, so long.And — oh boy, has the world changed since then!Nobody could have imagined something called Coronavirus.Nobody could have imagined a world where people have to stay indoors just to stay alive.A world were nations try to out-lie each other, as if a war depended on it.A grave-digger said “they keep bringing me bodies.”“And they keep telling me they are not victims of COVID-19.”The economy stalled.Nobody could imagine a world where supply would come to a standstill.Only to be followed by demand, coming to a standstill, too.Nobody could imagine we would forget about climate change.Instead, we now wish things could get back to how it once was.Cities like Venice were complaining of over-pollution and over-tourism.Now, only dolphins and jellyfish visit its canals.No tourists.We were peeking in air travel.Now we have no space to park airplanes.The US was hitting an all-time low on unemployment.Now, there is an all-time high, since at least the Great Depression.In India, skies went from progress-grey, to shutdown-blue in less than a month.Before, people heaped on railroads.Now people walk between cities.No railroads.Before, schools in China were overcrowded.Now, the Internet is breaking because schools are empty.We canceled the Olympics.For the first time ever, China closed the Forbidden City.The Vatican and Mekka — both still stay empty.And so……here we are.Let's continue.Let us continue this tale. The Tale of Rome.We are in the year 295 BC.The soldiers on both sides couldn't bear it any longer.After two days of staring into each others faces, something just HAD TO GIVE!And then — it happened!And it happened on the third day, in that area of land, between the two armies. Some people call it the no-man's-land, or the dead zone.Someone let a deer loose, right in front of the eyes of both armies. The stag was probably three of four years old, and he was obviously lost.And then, once the stag started to run, someone from the Etruscan side, let another animal loose.A wolf!Right away — the wolf went for the deer, and as he was giving him chase, the Gauls, the Umbrians, and the Etruscans were egging him on.The cheers got louder, and then came the rain.A rain of javelins and spears.The wolf reacted by turning to a side, running smack towards where the Romans stood. Full speed ahead.The deer?Dead, under the weight of two or three javelins — blood oozing from its mouth and the place where the weapons had pierced him to the ground.Meanwhile, the Romans opened their lines, so that the wolf could run through them, and that was exactly what the animal did.The Romans weren't going to kill the wolf!They came from a she-wolf, after all!And while tension grew between the two armies, the Romans were spreading the word.— “Look what those barbarians just did — to that deer,” they said.The beautiful animal was protected by their divinity — the divinity to the goddess Diana!— “They will fall,” the Romans kept saying.They were convinced gods were going to favor their cause.Alright — before we continue with the cinematics of this battle, we need to take a good look into WHY some 100,000 soldiers were camped out not all that far from Rome, and JUST ABOUT to decide who will become the MASTER of Italy.And for THAT, we first need to get back to the Battle of Trifernum, which is where we got stuck last episode.So then, let us go to TRIFERNUM now!We'll jump back two years.To the year 297 BC.We already know the stats of that event, but — just to recap, we had some 20 thousand Romans on one side, and some 25 thousand Samnites on the other side.Quintus Fabius Rullianus and Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus were commanding the Romans, and a man named Gellius Statius was at the helm of the Samnites.Both side were very aware that Publius Decius Mus was on his way, bringing more troops with him, obviously for the Roman side.And obviously we are talking about the son of that Publius Decius Mus who sacrificed himself at the Battle of Vesuvius, back in the year 340 BC.When Rulianus was on his way to the field where the battle would take place, Samnite forces tried to trap him, just like it happened at the Caudine Forks, in the year 321 BC, during the second Samnite War, which — obviously, wasn't called that way, at that time.Instead, people just called it the Great War.Rullianus, far too smart to let his troops walk into trap, simply stopped along the way.Yep.Feeling that the valley was a perfect trap, Rullianus simply refused to enter, and so he ordered everyone to take a break, aware that the forests surrounding the valley were most likely full of Samnites in hiding.He was right.The Samnites, seeing that the ambush didn't work, got nervous and were quickly discovered. They streamed out into the open, and a battle was soon set up.Rullianus accepted the proposed fight, and the Romans prepared accordingly.[…]

Twitter: Seth4nerds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/historyuncensoredpod/ Email: Contact@historyuncensoredpod.com    Gladiators part 2   Last week we Learned about who the gladiators were, as people. This week I want to Focus on the fights and who the gladiators were as combatants.    Let the Games begin! Gladiators were not an undifferentiated group of sword fighters; they were divided up into categories based on different styles of armour, weapons and fighting. Sometimes it is hard to determine with certainty the type a gladiator depicted in surviving ancient representations. We must accept the possibility that occasionally variety in armour and weapons was allowed within a given gladiator category.166 For the most part, however, gladiators conformed generally to type. During the Republic, there were five known gladiator types: samnis (Samnite), gallus (Gaul), thraex (Thracian), provocator (‘challenger’) and eques (‘horseman’).    The first three types are ethnic in origin, that is, their armour, weapons and style of fighting were derived from peoples who had engaged in war with the Romans: the Samnites, Gauls and Thracians. As noted earlier, these gladiator types must have developed from the practice of forcing prisoners of war from the same region to fight each other wearing their characteristic armour and employing their distinctive fighting styles. In time, the names of these three ethnic gladiatorial types no longer indicated warriors native to these regions, but merely a gladiatorial style. These ethnic gladiatorial types throughout the Republic kept the memory of Rome’s past military successes alive by re-enacting them in the arena. The Samnite and the Gaul, the earliest gladiator types we know of, did not survive much beyond the Republic; only the thraex survived into the imperial period and remained popular into late antiquity.   Eques One type of gladiator easy to identify is the eques (‘horseman’), a lightly armed fighter who fought both on horseback and on the ground. It is clear that the equites were real horsemen. Cicero reports that the crowd’s hissing of an unpopular politician startled ‘the gladiators and their horses’.171 These gladiators with horses could only be the equites. An eques always fought an opponent of the same category.172 The only detailed description we have of the equites in a munus comes from a medieval author Isidore of Seville (seventh century AD), but his overall knowledge of gladiators accords well with the ancient sources, thus giving credence to the evidence he provides:   “Of the several types of gladiators, the first contest involves the equestrians. Two equites, preceded by military standards, entered the arena, one from the west, the other from the east, riding on white horses, wearing smallish golden helmets and carrying light weapons.”   Provocator The provocator(‘challenger’) was another gladiatorial type that originated in theRepublicandsurvivedintoimperialtimes.Ciceromentionstheprovocator in the same speech along with the equites and the Samnites.178 The provocator looked much more like a standard gladiator than did the eques. His visored helmet was not brimmed and had a neck guard in the back. He wore a loincloth (subligaculum), standard attire for all gladiators except for the eques, and a greave on his left leg. The shield of the provocateur was concave and rectangular. Perhaps his most identifiable feature was the breastplate he wore, held on the body by straps that met at the back, which protected the upper chest.179 No other type of gladiator wore any protective armour on the chest.   Thraex The thraex was the sole survivor into the imperial period of the ethnic-based gladiators of the Republic. It is uncertain when the thraex became a gladiatorial type at Rome. There are two possibilities: (1) when Rome took Thracian mercenaries captive in the war against Perseus (171–167 BC), or (2) when many Thracians were taken as prisoners in the Mithdridatic wars in the 80s BC --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/seth-michels66/support

The 4th century would be a time of great change in the Roman Republic, as she would go from smoking ruin to master of most of Italy in roughly 100 years. Wars with the Samnites, the political turmoil at home, and the creation of the so-called “Polybian Legion” would set the stage for the invasion of Pyrrhus of Epirus. Title Theme: Seikilos Epitapth with the Lyre of Apollo, played by Lina Palera (https://soundcloud.com/user-994392473) The History of Persia Podcast Website (https://historyofpersiapodcast.wordpress.com/) Apple (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/history-of-persia/id1452677220) Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5XGXCGD43r99xfGir03Dif) Overcast (https://overcast.fm/itunes1452677220/history-of-persia) Show Links: Website and Show Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2019/03/23/023-children-of-mars-pt-2-the-roman-unification-of-central-italy-the-polybian-legion-390-282-b-c/) iTunes: (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hellenistic-age-podcast/id1377920930?mt=2) SoundCloud: (https://soundcloud.com/user-103425037) Stitcher: (www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-hell…stic-age-podcast) Twitter: (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Email: (hellenisticagepodcast@gmail.com)

Episode 46 – The Third Samnite War— That's right, when the Etruscans heard that Corvus was leading the roman troops, they got into their fort and did not want to come out, not even to check on the weather.For the third time, the Samnites. And some say, third time is a charm. And in this case, it was exactly like that. It's the last years of Marcus Valerius Corvus' life.Partial TranscriptHello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast.The Tale of Rome, Episode 46 — The Third Samnite War.Peace reigned supreme in Rome.We are in the year 302 BC, or — as the Roman liked to refer to their years — we are in the year of the consulship of Denter and Paulus.Less than six months ago, peace treaties were ratified by the Senate of Rome, and now — Romans were the masters, of all of Central Italy.And just as we've seen in our last episode, there was no shortage of heroes, either.Take two examples?Fabius Rullianus and Papirius Cursor.Yep. It does happen at times. All of the sudden, it happens that a generation springs up in some places, and — suddenly, a nation finds itself blessed, by a generation of people who simply do stuff better.Better than their parents, and better than their grandparents, at times.It's like a wave — like the waves of the ocean, coming ashore. Every so often, you get a bigger one, a prettier one, and sometimes you can tell by counting the waves in between, but sometimes you can't.Yep. Sometimes, it's almost like magic.It happened in the States, with the baby boomers, and it happened in Argentina, with the incredible soccer generation, that saw people like Maradona, rise and fall.True.Sometimes, a generation like this, changes the destiny of a sport, a view on things, or even a nation, — even for a whole century, only to disappear after that, and never to return.These waves usually leave nostalgia behind, and a strong taste that thing used to be better, before.A legacy, if you will.Alright, before I go all the way off the topic, here is an overview of the stuff we'll be seeing today.For that — I made a short list, of five topics.Have a listen.ONE — The years 302, 301, and 300 BC, from a legislative point of view. Two important laws are coming out in these years, and we wanna be there, and see what they are all about.Their names are — the Lex Valeria, and the Lex Ogulnia.TWO — We are also getting to see Marcus Valerius Corvus again, who — by now — is being addressed as Marcus Valerius Maximus Corvus.[…]In the year 300 BC, Corvus was elected again, to lead the destiny of Rome — but this time as a Consul, and not as a Dictator.His mission this time was to finish the thing with the Aequi, and this was the fifth time, he was elected Consul of Rome.But — that year — Corvus was doing something more than just leading troops, and winning things for Rome.Yep. In the year 300 BC, Corvus decided to give his support to the two laws that we talked about, earlier on.Let me explain.First — Since Corvus was totally in favor of the Lex Ogulnia, he made sure that, the day the law passed, he was present in Rome, standing — right in front of the building that was housing the College of Pontiffs.He also made sure he was there, when the first Plebeian priests joined the ranks of those Pontifex.And second — He himself helped push the Lex Valeria through the red tape, by means of a legal move, known as the provocatio, or the right to stand up for the people of Rome.[…]

Episode 46 – The Third Samnite War — That’s right, when the Etruscans heard that Corvus was leading the roman troops, they got into their fort and did not want to come out, not even to check on the weather. For the third time, the Samnites. And some say, third time is a charm. And in this case, it was exactly like that. It’s the last years of Marcus Valerius Corvus’ life. Partial Transcript Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. The Tale of Rome, Episode 46 — The Third Samnite War. Peace reigned supreme in Rome. We are in the year 302 BC, or — as the Roman liked to refer to their years — we are in the year of the consulship of Denter and Paulus. Less than six months ago, peace treaties were ratified by the Senate of Rome, and now — Romans were the masters, of all of Central Italy. And just as we’ve seen in our last episode, there was no shortage of heroes, either. ...

Episode 45 – Fabius Rullianus and Papirius Cursor— “Fortified camps are to be defended by arms, rather than arms being defended by fortified camps,” Rullianus said.A flashback of an encounter between two heroes of the Samnite Wars. Papirius Cursor and Fabius Rullianus.Partial TranscriptHello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast.The Tale of Rome, Episode 45 — Fabius Rullianus and Papirius Cursor.The Ciminian forest was one of those primitive places — created in the times before gods and humans, and its purpose was to keep Romans and Etruscans apart.There were no roads through it, and even the edges of the forest — the way they looked — they caused utter angst in Rome's population.Nobody ever dared to get tino the Ciminian forest, up until the fourth century before Christ.What's more, when the Roman Senate, explicitly gave orders to Consul Fabius Maximus Rullianus to NOT to enter the confines of the forest, and when he did so — chasing Etruscans, and when he emerged unscathed from the the forest, the Romans — at first — had thoughts about letting him back into the city, for they feared that evil spirits had taken possession of the souls of the Consul, and all his soldiers.At least — this is how our dear Livy told the story.Yup.This forest — partly fossilized, and partly so densely overgrown that sunshine couldn't make it through — was one of the few regions in Italy that still held soft ground between the roots of its trees.It's called permafrost. It's soft ground had low temperatures — so low, that they never get to solidify.And so, the forest kept swallowing beasts, trapped in the soft ground. From wild boars to deers, they got stuck in there, as if it were quicksand, and this area of permafrost sometimes went all the way to the region where the Tiber river met the Apennine hills.To put it briefly, this woodland was the perfect natural border, between Rome and Etruria, for the better part of four centuries.But….We are not here to talk about how Fabius Rullianus crossed that forest, even if it was in direct disobedience of the Roman Senate.Because — after all — this happened in the year 310 BC, and we didn't make it to that year, yet.Which means, we still have the Third Samnite War ahead of us.And — had it NOT been, that the Samnites got such a BAD beating from the Romans — at the Battle of Sutrium, perhaps, Rullianus never had the need to get into that forest, in the first place.This was partly — because the town of Sutrium was literally at the edge of the Ciminian Forest, and when the Etruscans went running into the woodland, the Romans had to — either, loose them, or follow them.So, then…We are here to talk about, the other time, Rullianus disobeyed an order.Just — that time, it wasn't with the Senate of Rome.That time, he ignored orders of a Dictator of Rome.And that Dictator was none less than a man, named Lucius Papirius Cursor.[…]On one hand — they could not counter Papirius, for two reasons.ONE — He was not a Consul — he was a Dictator. He just had the power. Period.AND TWO — Denying him something of this magnitude, or defending someone who had openly disobeyed him, did not look good.Yep, it was a bad precedent to future generations, and the Senate was not willing to publicly weaken the position of a Dictator.But on the other hand, they didn't want to have Rullianus punished. After all, he just managed to beat the Samnites, and thanks to his preemptive actions, Rome could focus on other things, for this whole year.And being able to focus on other things, instead of warfare, meant that Rome could make money.Suddenly, this year looked like a surplus-year, and all thanks to the quick wit of a man, who directly disobeyed his superior, and brought back some 20 thousand slaves to Rome.[…]

By the third century BC, the once-modest settlement of Rome had conquered most of Italy and was poised to build an empire throughout the Mediterranean basin. What transformed a humble city into the preeminent power of the region? In The Rise of Rome: From the Iron Age to the Punic Wars(Harvard University Press, 2018), the Durham University historian and archaeologist Kathryn Lomas reconstructs diplomatic ploys, political stratagems, and cultural exchanges whereby Rome established itself as a dominant player in a region already brimming with competitors. The Latin world, she argues, was not so much subjugated by Rome as unified by it. This new type of society that emerged from Rome's conquest and unification of Italy would serve as a political model for centuries to come. Archaic Italy was home to a vast range of ethnic communities, each with its own language and customs. Some such as the Etruscans, and later the Samnites, were major rivals of Rome. From the late Iron Age onward, these groups interacted in increasingly dynamic ways within Italy and beyond, expanding trade and influencing religion, dress, architecture, weaponry, and government throughout the region. Rome manipulated preexisting social and political structures in the conquered territories with great care, extending strategic invitations to citizenship and thereby allowing a degree of local independence while also fostering a sense of imperial belonging. In the story of Rome's rise, Lomas identifies nascent political structures that unified the empire's diverse populations, and finds the beginnings of Italian peoplehood. Ryan Tripp (Ph.D., History) is currently an adjunct in History at Los Medanos Community College and Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the third century BC, the once-modest settlement of Rome had conquered most of Italy and was poised to build an empire throughout the Mediterranean basin. What transformed a humble city into the preeminent power of the region? In The Rise of Rome: From the Iron Age to the Punic Wars(Harvard University Press, 2018), the Durham University historian and archaeologist Kathryn Lomas reconstructs diplomatic ploys, political stratagems, and cultural exchanges whereby Rome established itself as a dominant player in a region already brimming with competitors. The Latin world, she argues, was not so much subjugated by Rome as unified by it. This new type of society that emerged from Rome’s conquest and unification of Italy would serve as a political model for centuries to come. Archaic Italy was home to a vast range of ethnic communities, each with its own language and customs. Some such as the Etruscans, and later the Samnites, were major rivals of Rome. From the late Iron Age onward, these groups interacted in increasingly dynamic ways within Italy and beyond, expanding trade and influencing religion, dress, architecture, weaponry, and government throughout the region. Rome manipulated preexisting social and political structures in the conquered territories with great care, extending strategic invitations to citizenship and thereby allowing a degree of local independence while also fostering a sense of imperial belonging. In the story of Rome’s rise, Lomas identifies nascent political structures that unified the empire’s diverse populations, and finds the beginnings of Italian peoplehood. Ryan Tripp (Ph.D., History) is currently an adjunct in History at Los Medanos Community College and Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the third century BC, the once-modest settlement of Rome had conquered most of Italy and was poised to build an empire throughout the Mediterranean basin. What transformed a humble city into the preeminent power of the region? In The Rise of Rome: From the Iron Age to the Punic Wars(Harvard University Press, 2018), the Durham University historian and archaeologist Kathryn Lomas reconstructs diplomatic ploys, political stratagems, and cultural exchanges whereby Rome established itself as a dominant player in a region already brimming with competitors. The Latin world, she argues, was not so much subjugated by Rome as unified by it. This new type of society that emerged from Rome’s conquest and unification of Italy would serve as a political model for centuries to come. Archaic Italy was home to a vast range of ethnic communities, each with its own language and customs. Some such as the Etruscans, and later the Samnites, were major rivals of Rome. From the late Iron Age onward, these groups interacted in increasingly dynamic ways within Italy and beyond, expanding trade and influencing religion, dress, architecture, weaponry, and government throughout the region. Rome manipulated preexisting social and political structures in the conquered territories with great care, extending strategic invitations to citizenship and thereby allowing a degree of local independence while also fostering a sense of imperial belonging. In the story of Rome’s rise, Lomas identifies nascent political structures that unified the empire’s diverse populations, and finds the beginnings of Italian peoplehood. Ryan Tripp (Ph.D., History) is currently an adjunct in History at Los Medanos Community College and Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the third century BC, the once-modest settlement of Rome had conquered most of Italy and was poised to build an empire throughout the Mediterranean basin. What transformed a humble city into the preeminent power of the region? In The Rise of Rome: From the Iron Age to the Punic Wars(Harvard University Press, 2018), the Durham University historian and archaeologist Kathryn Lomas reconstructs diplomatic ploys, political stratagems, and cultural exchanges whereby Rome established itself as a dominant player in a region already brimming with competitors. The Latin world, she argues, was not so much subjugated by Rome as unified by it. This new type of society that emerged from Rome’s conquest and unification of Italy would serve as a political model for centuries to come. Archaic Italy was home to a vast range of ethnic communities, each with its own language and customs. Some such as the Etruscans, and later the Samnites, were major rivals of Rome. From the late Iron Age onward, these groups interacted in increasingly dynamic ways within Italy and beyond, expanding trade and influencing religion, dress, architecture, weaponry, and government throughout the region. Rome manipulated preexisting social and political structures in the conquered territories with great care, extending strategic invitations to citizenship and thereby allowing a degree of local independence while also fostering a sense of imperial belonging. In the story of Rome’s rise, Lomas identifies nascent political structures that unified the empire’s diverse populations, and finds the beginnings of Italian peoplehood. Ryan Tripp (Ph.D., History) is currently an adjunct in History at Los Medanos Community College and Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the third century BC, the once-modest settlement of Rome had conquered most of Italy and was poised to build an empire throughout the Mediterranean basin. What transformed a humble city into the preeminent power of the region? In The Rise of Rome: From the Iron Age to the Punic Wars(Harvard University Press, 2018), the Durham University historian and archaeologist Kathryn Lomas reconstructs diplomatic ploys, political stratagems, and cultural exchanges whereby Rome established itself as a dominant player in a region already brimming with competitors. The Latin world, she argues, was not so much subjugated by Rome as unified by it. This new type of society that emerged from Rome’s conquest and unification of Italy would serve as a political model for centuries to come. Archaic Italy was home to a vast range of ethnic communities, each with its own language and customs. Some such as the Etruscans, and later the Samnites, were major rivals of Rome. From the late Iron Age onward, these groups interacted in increasingly dynamic ways within Italy and beyond, expanding trade and influencing religion, dress, architecture, weaponry, and government throughout the region. Rome manipulated preexisting social and political structures in the conquered territories with great care, extending strategic invitations to citizenship and thereby allowing a degree of local independence while also fostering a sense of imperial belonging. In the story of Rome’s rise, Lomas identifies nascent political structures that unified the empire’s diverse populations, and finds the beginnings of Italian peoplehood. Ryan Tripp (Ph.D., History) is currently an adjunct in History at Los Medanos Community College and Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the third century BC, the once-modest settlement of Rome had conquered most of Italy and was poised to build an empire throughout the Mediterranean basin. What transformed a humble city into the preeminent power of the region? In The Rise of Rome: From the Iron Age to the Punic Wars(Harvard University Press, 2018), the Durham University historian and archaeologist Kathryn Lomas reconstructs diplomatic ploys, political stratagems, and cultural exchanges whereby Rome established itself as a dominant player in a region already brimming with competitors. The Latin world, she argues, was not so much subjugated by Rome as unified by it. This new type of society that emerged from Rome’s conquest and unification of Italy would serve as a political model for centuries to come. Archaic Italy was home to a vast range of ethnic communities, each with its own language and customs. Some such as the Etruscans, and later the Samnites, were major rivals of Rome. From the late Iron Age onward, these groups interacted in increasingly dynamic ways within Italy and beyond, expanding trade and influencing religion, dress, architecture, weaponry, and government throughout the region. Rome manipulated preexisting social and political structures in the conquered territories with great care, extending strategic invitations to citizenship and thereby allowing a degree of local independence while also fostering a sense of imperial belonging. In the story of Rome’s rise, Lomas identifies nascent political structures that unified the empire’s diverse populations, and finds the beginnings of Italian peoplehood. Ryan Tripp (Ph.D., History) is currently an adjunct in History at Los Medanos Community College and Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the third century BC, the once-modest settlement of Rome had conquered most of Italy and was poised to build an empire throughout the Mediterranean basin. What transformed a humble city into the preeminent power of the region? In The Rise of Rome: From the Iron Age to the Punic Wars(Harvard University Press, 2018), the Durham University historian and archaeologist Kathryn Lomas reconstructs diplomatic ploys, political stratagems, and cultural exchanges whereby Rome established itself as a dominant player in a region already brimming with competitors. The Latin world, she argues, was not so much subjugated by Rome as unified by it. This new type of society that emerged from Rome’s conquest and unification of Italy would serve as a political model for centuries to come. Archaic Italy was home to a vast range of ethnic communities, each with its own language and customs. Some such as the Etruscans, and later the Samnites, were major rivals of Rome. From the late Iron Age onward, these groups interacted in increasingly dynamic ways within Italy and beyond, expanding trade and influencing religion, dress, architecture, weaponry, and government throughout the region. Rome manipulated preexisting social and political structures in the conquered territories with great care, extending strategic invitations to citizenship and thereby allowing a degree of local independence while also fostering a sense of imperial belonging. In the story of Rome’s rise, Lomas identifies nascent political structures that unified the empire’s diverse populations, and finds the beginnings of Italian peoplehood. Ryan Tripp (Ph.D., History) is currently an adjunct in History at Los Medanos Community College and Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 41 – The End of the Great War— In the end, Gaius Pontius saw that his old father — Herennius Pontius, had been right all along. Samnia now had a deadly enemy called Rome, and all Romans could think of, was vengeance.The end of the Second Samnite War, from the fall of Apulia, to the inspection of Samnia, by Consul Publius Sempronius.Partial TranscriptHello, this is Abel, speaking from Sanya, in the south of China. Welcome to my podcast.The Tale of Rome. Episode 41 — The End of the Great War.We are in the year 435 of the Founding of the City. By our accounts, that is the year 319 BC.Early morning. It's the first day of the year.Not the first day of the Julian Calendar — that would come centuries later — but, the first day of the Calendar, as it was set by Romulus, and Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome.And the business of this first day of the year, was to elect the two new Consuls for the year.Serious business.Senators old and young, were hurrying to the building of the Curia, for — two really important decisions, depended on today's vote.On one hand, somebody would have to deal with the consequences of what happened at the Caudine Forks.And, on the other hand, there was a law that was going to — either pass, or not pass.And that law, had nothing to do with war, or the humiliating defeat at the Caudine Forks.That law, if passed, would take away one certain power from Consuls, and would give it to the new guys in town.The Censors.That's right — if today's law passed, Censors would become the ones, who would have the power to remove someone from the Senate, and there was a myriad of reasons why this could happen.So, anyways.Before we get into the nitty-gritty of what was going on, I would like to read a short list of six items, on how a Senator's day went on, when it was time to pass new laws, welcome new Senators into the house, and other (smaller) business at hand.ONE — Before the start of any important session, Senators would go to the Augurs, or Oracles, and see if the day in question, was actually good for passing new laws, or any other business.At that time, there were four guys with sufficient authority in all of Rome, to decide whether the day was auspicious or not.We'll talk more about this further down the line.TWO — Before any voting, there were speeches. Always. Even if the voting was as trivial as the naming of a street, a speech was to be had.THREE — Sometimes these speeches went really long. And I mean, long![…]A huge army from Tarentum showed up on the horizon, just as Romans and Samnites were about to get running into each other's throats.Their trumpets stopped everyone, and the Tarentines announced that this battle was being ordered, canceled.That's right! Canceled! And the Tarentines even said that whoever made a move to attack the other side, the army of Tarentum would immediately join the other side, and make the aggressors lose the whole fight.Right away, the Romans called up their oracle, and checked on their sacred chicken.The chicken said — well, they didn't say a thing — the oracle said, the gods were totally in favor of a frontal, brutal, battle, and that Rome was not to be afraid of the new arrival.And so — they made their battle formations, and started to walk forward.[…]

Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Sanya, in the south of China. Welcome to my podcast. The Tale of Rome. Episode 41 — The End of the Great War. We are in the year 435 of the Founding of the City. By our accounts, that is the year 319 BC. Early morning. It’s the first day of the year. Not the first day of the Julian Calendar — that would come centuries later — but, the first day of the Calendar, as it was set by Romulus, and Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome. And the business of this first day of the year, was to elect the two new Consuls for the year. Serious business. Senators old and young, were hurrying to the building of the Curia, for — two really important decisions, depended on today’s vote. On one hand, somebody would have to deal with the consequences of what happened at the Caudine Forks. And, on the other hand, there was a law that was going to — either pass, or not pass. And that law, had nothing to do with war, or the humiliating defeat at the Caudine Forks. That law, if passed, would take away one certain power from Consuls, and would give it to the new guys in town. The Censors. That’s right — if today’s law passed, Censors would become the ones, who would have the power to remove someone from the Senate, and there was a myriad of reasons why this could happen. So, anyways. Before we get into the nitty-gritty of what was going on, I would like to read a short list of six items, on how a Senator’s day went on, when it was time to pass new laws, welcome new Senators into the house, and other (smaller) business at hand. ONE — Before the start of any important session, Senators would go to the Augurs, or Oracles, and see if the day in question, was actually good for passing new laws, or any other business. At that time, there were four guys with sufficient authority in all of Rome, to decide whether the day was auspicious or not. We’ll talk more about this further down the line. TWO — Before any voting, there were speeches. Always. Even if the voting was as trivial as the naming of a street, a speech was to be had. THREE — Sometimes these speeches went really long. And I mean, long! […] A huge army from Tarentum showed up on the horizon, just as Romans and Samnites were about to get running into each other’s throats. Their trumpets stopped everyone, and the Tarentines announced that this battle was being ordered, canceled. That’s right! Canceled! And the Tarentines even said that whoever made a move to attack the other side, the army of Tarentum would immediately join the other side, and make the aggressors lose the whole fight. Right away, the Romans called up their oracle, and checked on their sacred chicken. The chicken said — well, they didn’t say a thing — the oracle said, the gods were totally in favor of a frontal, brutal, battle, and that Rome was not to be afraid of the new arrival. And so — they made their battle formations, and started to walk forward. […]

This week the guys learn about a bunch wars between Rome and the Samnites, but don't forget about the Latin League with their dangerous dance fighting...Ole! Just when you thought children sacrificing was over... its back! TLDR: Rob's Dad has never eaten spaghetti because its not Sicilian.

Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. The Tale of Rome, Episode 37 — The Caudine Forks. During our last episode, we saw the end of many things. Many, many, things. The end of Publius Decius Mus, for he sacrificed himself on the battlefield. The end of Titus Manlius Torcuatus, in the books of Livy, for Livy banned him from his books, after the sacrifice of his own son. The end of the war against the Latins. The end of many peoples of Italy, such as the Sidicines, the Auruncians, the Volsci, and the Campanians, as free people. Yes, some lived on — under the strict yoke of Rome. It was also the end of the Latin League. And, yes — I was also the end of a respected Senator from Tusculum. Latin landowner and aristocrat Annius saw the end of his life, when he rolled down the stairs, at the very Roman Senate. We also saw the end of the Athenian resistance against King Philip II of Macedon, who just married yet another wife — a girl named Cleopatra of Macedon. I think, she was like, his sixth or seventh wife. And finally, I sadly announce that today we have yet another loss — this time from Ostia. In an event that happened all too often in Rome, and in cities built by Romans, the three-story insulae, where our good old slave lived, burst into flames, on a moonless night. Our slave had no time of getting down the stairs from his third floor, and while people were trying to get themselves to safety, a woman slipped on the stairs and — grabbing her husband, she dragged them both to their death. The fire devoured the entire block by the port of Ostia. […] Well, before the Romans entered the valley through the narrow pass, the Consuls sent troops ahead, to go see if something was amiss. The soldiers returned saying that everything seemed just fine, and that the valley was completely empty. But when the Roman troops began to march through the gorge, the Triarii, the most veteran soldiers, began to sense that something, was wrong indeed. It was just too calm, and they didn’t like it at all. And just when the last regiment of the Romans passed through the canyon, and just when the first part of the forces reached the exit of the canyon, they found it blocked with rocks and logs. Noticing they were trapped, they quickly began to walk back, but by then, the first entrance was blocked, too. Samnites were standing there, watching the Romans from above. […]

— Aeliana's body was placed on the left side of her husband Lucius' body.Everything was going fine for the Romans, until they walked into a canyon, and got trapped. The most humiliating defeat for 50,000 Roman soldiers, at the Caudine Forks.Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast.The Tale of Rome, Episode 37 — The Caudine Forks.During our last episode, we saw the end of many things. Many, many, things.The end of Publius Decius Mus, for he sacrificed himself on the battlefield.The end of Titus Manlius Torcuatus, in the books of Livy, for Livy banned him from his books, after the sacrifice of his own son.The end of the war against the Latins. The end of many peoples of Italy, such as the Sidicines, the Auruncians, the Volsci, and the Campanians, as free people. Yes, some lived on — under the strict yoke of Rome.It was also the end of the Latin League.And, yes — I was also the end of a respected Senator from Tusculum. Latin landowner and aristocrat Annius saw the end of his life, when he rolled down the stairs, at the very Roman Senate.We also saw the end of the Athenian resistance against King Philip II of Macedon, who just married yet another wife — a girl named Cleopatra of Macedon.I think, she was like, his sixth or seventh wife.And finally, I sadly announce that today we have yet another loss — this time from Ostia.In an event that happened all too often in Rome, and in cities built by Romans, the three-story insulae, where our good old slave lived, burst into flames, on a moonless night.Our slave had no time of getting down the stairs from his third floor, and while people were trying to get themselves to safety, a woman slipped on the stairs and — grabbing her husband, she dragged them both to their death.The fire devoured the entire block by the port of Ostia.[…]Well, before the Romans entered the valley through the narrow pass, the Consuls sent troops ahead, to go see if something was amiss.The soldiers returned saying that everything seemed just fine, and that the valley was completely empty.But when the Roman troops began to march through the gorge, the Triarii, the most veteran soldiers, began to sense that something, was wrong indeed.It was just too calm, and they didn't like it at all.And just when the last regiment of the Romans passed through the canyon, and just when the first part of the forces reached the exit of the canyon, they found it blocked with rocks and logs.Noticing they were trapped, they quickly began to walk back, but by then, the first entrance was blocked, too.Samnites were standing there, watching the Romans from above.

Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. The Tale of Rome, Episode 35 — Alexander of Epirus. Last week we left off with five open topics, which we will cover in this episode. They are — as follows: ONE — Our weekly report from Ostia, brought by our loyal slave, who spends entire days on the docks and markets of the port of Rome. This way we get to know what is going on in Greece, since we are in the times of Alexander the Great, and events are too important, to just let them “hang in there” until our episode of the State of the Union. TWO — The tactics of the Phalanx, at the time of the Roman King Servius Tullius. As a side note — at the time of Romulus, Romans fought using a system of just one strong leader, leading his equally strong warriors into hand-to-hand fights. No Phalanxes there, whatsoever. THREE — The continuation of the situation between Rome and the Latins, after the Roman Senate rejected what they asked from Rome. FOUR — The continuation of our family saga, now that we know the whereabouts of Marcus, Falvius, and Spurion, the son of Spurious. AND FIVE — The part where Alexander of Epirus, the uncle of two famous nephews, arrives in Italy, does his thing, and ends up dying in Italy. […] But, just in case, I might as well explain it — briefly. We already know that the people in southern Italy were somewhat peculiar, and we have already seen how the Campanians turned against Rome, after Rome helped them against the Samnites, in the First Samnite War. Well, these people — the people of the Greek colonies in Italy, they were made of the same cloth. After all the help that Alexander of Epirus gave them — they began thinking that the man would suddenly get ideas of making himself some kind of a king in the region. Without even checking, if these were facts or fake news, the people of the city of Tarentum created a huge alliance with all the other cities in the south — and they all went up, against Alexander. What a turn of events! […]

Latins and Romans speak the same language, and worship the same gods. But after the first Samnite War, the Latins felt they were stronger than Rome. And they started to hatch plans, and gather allies. Partial Transcript Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. The Tale of Rome, Episode 33 — Latins and Romans. In those days, news did not travel to Rome — or any other city, they way they do today. News travelled with the travelers of the time, and of these, the three best known were merchants, soldiers, and prisoners of war. And I dare to say — in that exact order. And as we are now entering a pivotal time in the history of Greece, Persia, and Macedonia, we are going to send one of our slaves, down to Ostia. That's right, we'll get him a place to live, near the port, if possible on the street that goes along the docks.  His place will consist of a simple room, on a third floor — the worst, in one of the newly built so-called “islands.”  Romans called their buildings islands, or in Latin — INSULAE.  They were horrible to live in, and at this time, the tallest ones were three floors high. I should also mention that these buildings were not exactly fireproof. And, on a side note, this road near the house where our slave will reside, will probably have a milestone somewhere close, too. Romans used milestones everywhere, letting travelers know what road they were on, who built the road, and even the name of the local curator for any particular piece of the road.  Travelers would sometimes also get to know how far they were from the nearest rest stop, and the total distance from Rome. Well — anyways. That employee of ours will have to spend some time in Ostia, and his job will be to simply hang around the docks, and get news, for us. This means, he will wake up at the earliest hour, get down from his third floor — staircases had no railings at that time, and direct himself to the small square that lay between the forum of Ostia, the marketplace, and the street that leads to the docks.  There, he will try to see if anything worth letting us know, happened during the night. A fire. A murder. Perhaps someone important might have arrived during the night, on his way to Rome. Anything. Our slave will then have his brief breakfast. A round loaf of bread, and some olive oil. Not bad, actually. In winter it might be stew, with lettuce or cabbage. He will hang around the docks until the evening hours, and he'll be on the lookout for news that ships bring. More precisely, of what is going on between Alexander the Great, and the Persian Empire. And since these next few years, we expect big changes — our slave will be busy. And this means, that at the beginning of each episode, or somewhere in the middle, we'll have a short segment about “NEWS FROM OSTIA” just like we have our “Latin Word of the Week.” I think this way, we can keep track of both Rome, and Alexander the Great, for the while being. [...] When peace was signed between the Samnites and the Romans in the year 341 BC, the Samnites immediately went to attack of their favorite victims: the Sidicines. These, seeing what Campania did a few years earlier, sent a delegation to Rome to do the same as Capua.  Submit to the authority of Rome, and force the Samnites to find someone else to bully. But, when this delegation arrived in Rome, the senators told them that by seeing that hostilities between the two peoples were already in full march, it was too late to ask for such a favor. The truth was, that Rome did not see much interest in the lands the Sidicines occupied, and the Romans allowed the Samnites to continue bullying them. That's when the Sidicines went to ask the Campanians for help. These, still angry about the Samnites,

Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. The Tale of Rome, Episode 33 — Latins and Romans. In those days, news did not travel to Rome — or any other city, they way they do today. News travelled with the travelers of the time, and of these, the three best known were merchants, soldiers, and prisoners of war. And I dare to say — in that exact order. And as we are now entering a pivotal time in the history of Greece, Persia, and Macedonia, we are going to send one of our slaves, down to Ostia. That’s right, we’ll get him a place to live, near the port, if possible on the street that goes along the docks. His place will consist of a simple room, on a third floor — the worst, in one of the newly built so-called “islands.” Romans called their buildings islands, or in Latin — INSULAE. They were horrible to live in, and at this time, the tallest ones were three floors high. I should also mention that these buildings were not exactly fireproof. And, on a side note, this road near the house where our slave will reside, will probably have a milestone somewhere close, too. Romans used milestones everywhere, letting travelers know what road they were on, who built the road, and even the name of the local curator for any particular piece of the road. Travelers would sometimes also get to know how far they were from the nearest rest stop, and the total distance from Rome. Well — anyways. That employee of ours will have to spend some time in Ostia, and his job will be to simply hang around the docks, and get news, for us. This means, he will wake up at the earliest hour, get down from his third floor — staircases had no railings at that time, and direct himself to the small square that lay between the forum of Ostia, the marketplace, and the street that leads to the docks. There, he will try to see if anything worth letting us know, happened during the night. A fire. A murder. Perhaps someone important might have arrived during the night, on his way to Rome. Anything. Our slave will then have his brief breakfast. A round loaf of bread, and some olive oil. Not bad, actually. In winter it might be stew, with lettuce or cabbage. He will hang around the docks until the evening hours, and he’ll be on the lookout for news that ships bring. More precisely, of what is going on between Alexander the Great, and the Persian Empire. And since these next few years, we expect big changes — our slave will be busy. And this means, that at the beginning of each episode, or somewhere in the middle, we’ll have a short segment about “NEWS FROM OSTIA” just like we have our “Latin Word of the Week.” I think this way, we can keep track of both Rome, and Alexander the Great, for the while being. […] When peace was signed between the Samnites and the Romans in the year 341 BC, the Samnites immediately went to attack of their favorite victims: the Sidicines. These, seeing what Campania did a few years earlier, sent a delegation to Rome to do the same as Capua. Submit to the authority of Rome, and force the Samnites to find someone else to bully. But, when this delegation arrived in Rome, the senators told them that by seeing that hostilities between the two peoples were already in full march, it was too late to ask for such a favor. The truth was, that Rome did not see much interest in the lands the Sidicines occupied, and the Romans allowed the Samnites to continue bullying them. That’s when the Sidicines went to ask the Campanians for help. These, still angry about the Samnites, agreed to help. They even convinced the Latins to join in the fight. Of course, the Latins did not need much convincing, because they were already pissed at Rome. […]

He was a Consul of Rome at the age of 23. He would be Consul five more times, and dictator twice. And he lived to be 100. This is our small tribute.Partial TranscriptHello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast.The Tale of Rome, Episode 32 — Marcus Valerius Corvus.The year 342 was hotter than others, and the legionaries garrisoned in Campania felt it firsthand.Unlike the inhabitants of Capua, and other cities, in the soft and fertile plains of Campania, Roman soldiers lived with the hard life of a legion, as their job — given to them by means of their oath, was to protect the people, and to defend Roman territory, and not necessarily in that order. And that was what the soldiers were doing — day in, day out. Left there, to garrison the southern fringes of this new Roman land, they all fulfilled their duties, but inside they all wanted to be in Rome.Yep.Further north.Where it's not so hot, by Mercury!That's right. While some of them left for Rome, where they would get a triumphal march, this group of soldiers from both Valerius and Cossus, were practically left all alone there, right outside of Capua.Entertainment was nil. Contact with the locals was almost non-existent.And so, very soon, these soldiers decided it was not fair that the people of Capua, a bunch of weaklings who could not even defend themselves from the Samnites, were having all the fun, while they — hard-working legionaries had to babysit them.And, worse, they were not getting any of the fun.In less than a storm needs to gather, and build up some dark clouds, the ringleaders of the two halves — the guys left by Valerius, and the guys left by Cossus, began to hatch a plan.A plan of rebellion.[…]The Gaul almost fell right there, but he soon got back on his feet.The black crow just wouldn't go away!An then, one second later, the animal made another attack, and this time he tried to get his beak into one of the eyes of the Gaul. Valerius did not waste any time, and he crouched down, pulled his sword, and he placed the short sword between two ribs of the giant.The huge warrior now had to worry about the crow, watch his eyes, and he had to fend off the boy.Bleeding from his stomach, the Gaul ran towards the boy, but again, the raven began to flutter both wings in the face of the barbarian.That's when Valerius saw the opening for the second hit. Another move, and Valerius had his sword half inside the giant's abdomen, while the raven was still trying to gauge one eye out.There was no need for a third hit. The giant fell to his knees, and Valerius let his sword stay there, deep in the giant's body.And when the giant fell — face down, the tip of Valerius' sword came out of the giant's back.Three long seconds of silence, and then the Romans began to scream.

Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. http://www.thetaleofrome.com/rome-032 The Tale of Rome, Episode 32 — Marcus Valerius Corvus. The year 342 was hotter than others, and the legionaries garrisoned in Campania felt it firsthand. Unlike the inhabitants of Capua, and other cities, in the soft and fertile plains of Campania, Roman soldiers lived with the hard life of a legion, as their job — given to them by means of their oath, was to protect the people, and to defend Roman territory, and not necessarily in that order. And that was what the soldiers were doing — day in, day out. Left there, to garrison the southern fringes of this new Roman land, they all fulfilled their duties, but inside they all wanted to be in Rome. Yep. Further north. Where it’s not so hot, by Mercury! That’s right. While some of them left for Rome, where they would get a triumphal march, this group of soldiers from both Valerius and Cossus, were practically left all alone there, right outside of Capua. Entertainment was nil. Contact with the locals was almost non-existent. And so, very soon, these soldiers decided it was not fair that the people of Capua, a bunch of weaklings who could not even defend themselves from the Samnites, were having all the fun, while they — hard-working legionaries had to babysit them. And, worse, they were not getting any of the fun. In less than a storm needs to gather, and build up some dark clouds, the ringleaders of the two halves — the guys left by Valerius, and the guys left by Cossus, began to hatch a plan. A plan of rebellion. […] The Gaul almost fell right there, but he soon got back on his feet. The black crow just wouldn’t go away! An then, one second later, the animal made another attack, and this time he tried to get his beak into one of the eyes of the Gaul. Valerius did not waste any time, and he crouched down, pulled his sword, and he placed the short sword between two ribs of the giant. The huge warrior now had to worry about the crow, watch his eyes, and he had to fend off the boy. Bleeding from his stomach, the Gaul ran towards the boy, but again, the raven began to flutter both wings in the face of the barbarian. That’s when Valerius saw the opening for the second hit. Another move, and Valerius had his sword half inside the giant’s abdomen, while the raven was still trying to gauge one eye out. There was no need for a third hit. The giant fell to his knees, and Valerius let his sword stay there, deep in the giant’s body. And when the giant fell — face down, the tip of Valerius’ sword came out of the giant’s back. Three long seconds of silence, and then the Romans began to scream. […]

Mount Gaurus. Saticula. Suessula. And the awesome story of Publius Decius Mus, who singlehandedly saved a bunch of soldiers from certain death. Partial Transcript Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. The Tale of Rome, Episode 31 — The Grass Crown. We are in the year 343 BC. Or — if you prefer, the year 411 since the creation of Rome.  It was also known as the year 166, if you would rather count from the founding of the Republic. But if we want to count years the way Romans did, then we are in the year of the Consulships of Aulus Cornelius Cossus and Marcus Valerius Corvus — that is, the year 343 BC. And here, we just made a roundabout with years, and numbers, and dates, and we're still in the year 343 BC. Saticula, Campania. High summer – an hour before dawn. When young Lucius finally saw the troops running towards the camp, and when he saw that – in fact, the Tribune was at their head, his heart went into overdrive. He ran up the staircase of the tower, trying to see if his brother was among them, but it was still too dark. Only silhouettes in the dark. At that moment Marcus joined in. — "Did you see Publius?" — "Not yet! But they are running. Maybe the Samnites are behind them. Sound the alarm," Lucius replied. — "Open the gates!" When Decius and the boys ran through the gate, and when the gates safely closed behind them, the entire legion burst into screams of joy. After they did a recount, everyone realized that Publius Decius Mus, the Military Tribune of Aulus Cornelius Cossus, had not lost one single man, and even the Centurion of the legion came down to meet Decius, still trying to understand how everyone made it alive, from there. [...] When Corvus ordered his soldiers to march to Suessula, Cornelius Cossus was still two days away, so Valerius Corvus had only one option left. The Romans were going to march so lightly that everything – and I mean, everything that was not absolutely essential, was to be left behind. And, it turns out, that this decision of his, had consequences that not even Corvus himself imagined, because, when the Romans arrived in the vicinity of Suessula, and once they set up their military camp, the building materials were so scarce that the camp ended up being physically much smaller, than a typical Roman camp. Samnites spies, seeing the size of the Roman camp, informed their chiefs that the Roman unit was not a whole legion — perhaps a third of a Legion, and all decisions the Samnites made from that point on, were based on that mistaken idea. [...]

Partial Transcript Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. The Tale of Rome, Episode 31 — The Grass Crown. We are in the year 343 BC. Or — if you prefer, the year 411 since the creation of Rome. It was also known as the year 166, if you would rather count from the founding of the Republic. But if we want to count years the way Romans did, then we are in the year of the Consulships of Aulus Cornelius Cossus and Marcus Valerius Corvus — that is, the year 343 BC. And here, we just made a roundabout with years, and numbers, and dates, and we’re still in the year 343 BC. Saticula, Campania. High summer – an hour before dawn. When young Lucius finally saw the troops running towards the camp, and when he saw that – in fact, the Tribune was at their head, his heart went into overdrive. He ran up the staircase of the tower, trying to see if his brother was among them, but it was still too dark. Only silhouettes in the dark. At that moment Marcus joined in. — “Did you see Publius?” — “Not yet! But they are running. Maybe the Samnites are behind them. Sound the alarm,” Lucius replied. — “Open the gates!” When Decius and the boys ran through the gate, and when the gates safely closed behind them, the entire legion burst into screams of joy. After they did a recount, everyone realized that Publius Decius Mus, the Military Tribune of Aulus Cornelius Cossus, had not lost one single man, and even the Centurion of the legion came down to meet Decius, still trying to understand how everyone made it alive, from there. […] When Corvus ordered his soldiers to march to Suessula, Cornelius Cossus was still two days away, so Valerius Corvus had only one option left. The Romans were going to march so lightly that everything – and I mean, everything that was not absolutely essential, was to be left behind. And, it turns out, that this decision of his, had consequences that not even Corvus himself imagined, because, when the Romans arrived in the vicinity of Suessula, and once they set up their military camp, the building materials were so scarce that the camp ended up being physically much smaller, than a typical Roman camp. Samnites spies, seeing the size of the Roman camp, informed their chiefs that the Roman unit was not a whole legion — perhaps a third of a Legion, and all decisions the Samnites made from that point on, were based on that mistaken idea. […]

Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. The Tale of Rome, Episode 30 — The Samnite Mountains. The famous Roman poet Virgil would sometimes write three sentences in a whole day, and then he would delete them, not happy with his work. This is what one day, he wrote in his famous work, known as “The Aeneid.” Remember, Roman, it is for you to govern the nations. This will be your task, impose the ways of peace, forgive the vanquished, and tame the proud. I’m pretty sure the day he wrote this, he didn’t feel bad about himself. During the next one hundred years we are going to see how Rome will go from a small — let’s call it, regional power — to becoming the undisputed powerhouse of Italy. Less than 40 years ago, everyone within striking distance joined in on the fun of kicking Rome, thinking Brennus left the city dying. But soon, no tribe in Italy will be causing headaches for Rome, and when they will do it again — some 150 years down the road, it will not be to defy the power of Rome, but to beg to be included — as citizens of Rome. But, of course, we’re not there yet, so let’s take is easy. […] The envoys from Capua, smart old men, already knowing that that’s exactly what they were going to get for an answer, then said something like this: — “Well, given that Rome cannot help us, since Rome is obliged to respect her peace treaty with the tribes that are threatening us with death and with slavery, a Treaty we totally understand and respect, we are left with no other choice but to submit Campania, Capua and all our surrounding cities and fields, entirely under the command of Rome. “ — “What?” The Roman senators must have wondered, if what they were hearing was possible. — “That’s right. Sadly — for the people of Capua, and all of Campania, we have come to the conclusion that it is better to die under the protective wings of the power of Rome, than to live under the yoke and abuse of the Samnites. “ — “Hold on, hold on!“ Another senator interrupted. “Let me get that straight. Are you guys saying that everything that Campania has, and produces, would be under the command, and at the full — I mean, full disposal of Rome?” — “These were my words, o Senator!” Immediately, Roman senators asked for a brief recess, to discuss this issue, this totally new offer, totally out of the blue — opportunity of a lifetime. [...]

Finally, Plebeians have a Consul of their own. And just about in the right moment, because the Samnites are knocking on Rome's doors. We also see the passing of Marcus Furius Camillus. Partial TranscriptHello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast.The Tale of Rome, Episode 29 — The First Plebeian Consul.We are in the year 368 BC.A young man of high stature, named Lucius Sextus Lateranus, dismounted from his horse in front of the Senate building. Three big parchments of paper were rolled under his shoulder.Lucius Sextus Lateranus was a Tribune of the Plebes.In other words, he was automatically an enemy of 100% of Rome's Patricians, and nothing that was in his possession was welcome in the Senate.

Finally, Plebeians have a Consul of their own. And just about in the right moment, because the Samnites are knocking on Rome’s doors. We also see the passing of Marcus Furius Camillus. Partial Transcript Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. The Tale of Rome, Episode 29 — The First Plebeian Consul. We are in the year 368 BC. A young man of high stature, named Lucius Sextus Lateranus, dismounted from his horse in front of the Senate building. Three big parchments of paper were rolled under his shoulder. Lucius Sextus Lateranus was a Tribune of the Plebes. In other words, he was automatically an enemy of 100% of Rome’s Patricians, and nothing that was in his possession was welcome in the Senate.

Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. http://www.thetaleofrome.com/rome-022 The Tale of Rome, Episode 22 — Decades of Death and Plagues. When we talked about the life and death of Lucius Quinctius Cinncinatus, we saw a time when Rome was standing at the gates of one its greatest and most challenging centuries, even though Rome couldn’t know it. And Rome did not know that for a good reason, because things were not going well in Rome. And when I say “things” I mean the following five aspects: ONE – from the south of Italy, commercial caravans were showing up with less and less frequency, and the ones that did, were not bringing good news to Rome. A new tribe — well, new in our podcast, and relatively new to the ears of common Romans, began to cause troubles in what we today know as the Italian Campania. I’m talking about the Samnites — the tribes from the hills. Campania spread all the way to the south of our well known Latium, and went all the way to the Apennine Mountains in the east. To the south it went to the bay of what we know as Naples, next to the famous volcano, Mount Vesuvius. Among those bad news, as we will see, was the fall of a city called Capua, which fell after a long, long siege, set by the Samnites. But we’re not there yet, so let’s go to the next point. TWO – The climate has begun to decline for reasons that the Romans had no way of understanding. Today we know this as a wave of climatic variation throughout Western Europe, which stretched to the center of the Mediterranean Sea. Although scientists today have a very well-defined name for this brief period of temperature drops, in ancient times this was interpreted as a bad omen from the gods, who had surely put themselves against Rome itself. And believe me, every citizen of Rome had a personal explanation of why the gods abandoned Rome. […] Popular belief was that if they slept one night inside the temple, they would get a dream, which would give them an interpretation of what they had to do, in order to cure themselves of whatever disease they had. But, if they had no dream during that first night, patients used to stay up to three consecutive nights in the temple, after which, the priests generally told them to go home, because obviously the gods did not want to communicate with them, and that meant that even the gods wanted them dead. FIVE – While many bibliographic sources only cite the year 441 BC as a year of famine in Rome, these same sources do admit that many other hunger waves followed. […]

Rome battled a combined army of Samnites, Etruscans, Umbrians and Gauls for control of Italy. At Sentinum, the two sides fought the largest battle in Italian history up to that point.

After a decade of peace, the Romans and Samnites returned to war. The early years of fighting went well for Rome, but in 321 BC they were handed a humiliating defeat at Caudine Forks.

From 343-341 BC Rome fought a brief war against the Samnites, a powerful hill tribe who would plague the Romans for the rest of the century. The Romans won an inconclusive victory, but the war was only the opening salvo in a long running struggle between the two peoples.